Study on the deformation of endothelial cells using a bio-inspired in vitro disease model

Based
on the observation that abnormal endothelial cells(blue arrows) and denatured
collagen fibers(red arrows) in blood vessels of a normal zebrafish fed with
high cholesterol diet were indicated, a bio-inspired in vitro model was
established to investigate the basic biophysics of atherosclerotic disease.
Endothelial cells on the collagenase-treated collagen films were
non-homogeneously aggregated into cell clusters compared to control
group(endothelial cells on the collagen film) depending on time. In addition,
the various focal adhesion proteins and biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction
are highly activated on the surface of endothelial cells on the denatured
collagen film. The structural and chemical properties of extracellular matrix
are closely linked with endothelial dysfunction.